Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity
by Ace of All Trades
Summary: Richard Grayson is an FBI Agent. Not only is he a lone wolf, he is also the protege of "The World's Greatest Detective", Bruce Wayne. But, he is assigned a partner, Zatanna Zatara, another accomplished FBI Agent. An investigation reveals threatening implications that endangers the entire world. The stakes are raised, and it's up to them to stop it.
1. New Acquaintances

Disclaimer: _Young Justice_ belongs to Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti. I am simply taking what they give and twisting it for my own amusement.

Part I

Chapter 1: New Acquaintances

A woman reclined in a padded chair. She looked at the desk in front of her, taking in the neatly organized files as well as the blank computer, and considered snagging a piece of gum that laid oh so temptingly out in the open. The fruity smell that wafted from the pack, made her think otherwise. She herself was a minty-gum kind of person and hated that fruity artificial crap that was so popular these days.

The door opened, revealing a man. The man wore a black dress suit that a clung to his lean, yet muscular body. A reflective gold badge was looped around his neck and displayed proudly on his chest. Ebony bangs reached the top of his eyebrows. Bright, cerulean blue eyes stared in surprise at her.

"Assistant Director Lance?" The man's relaxed posture was replaced with a stiff, attention.

Dinah Lance was the Assistant Director of the FBI division in Gotham City. She was the head of all operations that were conducted in Gotham.

When she was in the field, her loud, intimidating voice could be heard calling commands over the gunfire, shouts, and confusion of operations. One agent commented on how she sounded like one of his pet canaries that always shrieked in his house. This later led to the nickname, "Black Canary" which many of her contemporaries teasingly called her. Her determination and skill led to her rapid ascension among the ranks of the FBI.

"Grayson," she greeted the man.

Grayson. Richard Grayson was a name that was known throughout the agency already, and he was only on his third year. While serving in the DEA, his skill and intelligence impressed many higher-ups.

Eventually, he was taken under the tutelage of Bruce Wayne. Wayne was one of the best agents that ever served in the FBI. His spotless record and he not having any unsolved cases gained Wayne a reputation as being "The World's Greatest Detective."

As a result, Grayson has conducted more operations in one year and gained more experience than many of her staff have in their entire career.

"Ma'am, I was uninformed of your visit. If I had known, I would have cleaned up a bit." Dinah's eyes swept throughout the impeccably tidy office. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm sure. I have something important to discuss. Come with me to my office." Richard looked at Black Canary warily.

"Look. If it's about that guy you wanted me to trail…"

"That eighty year-old?"

"Seventy-seven, ma'am," Richard corrected. "Anyway, he whipped out some ancient revolver and tried to blow my head off."

"You broke over twelve bones in the man's body."

"I didn't mean to! I mean, I didn't realize I hit him so hard," Richard replied defensively.

"You pushed him off a five story building," she pointed out.

"Yeah."

Black Canary pushed open the door to her office and strode behind her glass desk.

"Take a seat. I need to find the file that I need to show you." Black Canary disappeared behind a towering stack of papers, as was the norm around her office. As she rummaged through her desk, muttering unintelligibly, Richard wondered how it was possible to find anything around her office. After a while, Black Canary came up with a data pad. She handed him the data pad.

"What's this?"

"Your new partner." Black Canary winced slightly, waiting for the inevitable yelling and stubbornness. Richard has been solo ever since _she _left, and has fought tooth and nail in remaining solo. This has only ever happened twice, but each time made Dinah want to smash her face on her desk. Today, however, she was ready for a good verbal fight.

Richard's eyes darkened. His relaxed posture stiffened.

"Who is he?" he asked in a deadly calm voice.

"She," Black Canary corrected. "Zatanna Zatara. She spear-headed the Mafia bust in New York."

Richard raised an eyebrow. That operation was _very_ well planned out and executed.

"No." Black Canary sighed.

"Look, Grayson, you've worked under me for what, two years now? I know your record and I admire it. You are one helluva agent. That said, at this rate, you will never be the best, nor will you achieve the rank of SAIC in the time that Bruce wanted you to. You need to get over her. She isn't here, and she sure as hell wouldn't want you like this. In fact, you're doing everything that she _didn't_ want you to do."

Black Canary watched with slight remorse as she saw the impact her words had on Richard. Nothing overt, just a slight narrowing of the eyes, and a tightness around his mouth. She knew how harsh those words were. She continued in a softer, more compassionate voice.

"Look. Give it a try? I'm not saying that you have to be best friends or anything, but you need this." Richard didn't want to think of what Black Canary meant by her last sentence.

Richard paused, and looked pensively at his feet.

"Fine." Black Canary looked up, shocked.

"Really?"

"It's not like I have a say it whether or not I'll be assigned a partner."

"You do, but I just choose to ignore it." Inside, Black Canary was mentally doing a victory dance. "Oh and Grayson?"

"Yeah?"

"Please try not to screw this up. I had to pull some –no, a lot of – strings to get her as your partner. One more thing. Though you may not know her, but she knows you. Your reputation precedes you. When you interact with her, you not only are representing yourself in your conduct, but me, and Bruce as well."

"Roger. I can be professional. But she is _not_ her replacement," he warned, staring straight at Black Canary, daring her to say anything otherwise. She nodded.

With that, Richard silently walked out of Black Canary's office. She sighed and rubbed her temple with her hands. It definitely wasn't as bad as she was expecting. Grayson was pissed at her. She could deal with it. He never stayed angry for long anyway. All in all, score one for Dinah Lance.

As Black Canary closed her eyes, relishing her victory, she heard her door squeak open. Opening one eye, she saw her secretary poke her head into the door.

"What?" Black Canary asked. Her secretary smiled impishly at her.

"You owe me fifty bucks." Black Canary mentally cursed. Damn. Not only had Grayson accepted, but he had not resorted to violence or yelling, and left the room is less than ten minutes. She should start having more faith in her subordinates.

(The Next Morning)

Richard Grayson sat down heavily on his chair. His eyes scanned the portable data pad, reviewing his new partner's history, while absentmindedly taking a sip of his coffee.

He had to say, despite himself, her record was rather impressive. She graduated second in her class at the FBI Academy in Quantico, and in her third operation, she provided invaluable assistance in a raid that crippled the Mafia operations, single-handedly taking down their leader, Tony Zucco.

It was impressive, but not enough to sway his already negative opinion about her. Zatanna wasn't going to replace her. No one could.

Richard closed his eyes, allowing his mind to drift. He thought of a young woman with piercing green eyes and straight, auburn hair. He thought of her smile. He thought of how… Richard shook his head, banishing that developing thought.

As far as he was concerned, he had a day off. He finished his previous case several days earlier than expected. 'Efficiency does have its benefits', Richard thought.

He slowly sank deeper into the soft plush of his wheelie chair, letting his head loll to one side, and propping his feet on his desk. His senses dulled slightly, as he drowsiness began to creep up on him –

"Grayson! Up!" a voice snapped. Richard's previous drowsiness disappeared as he jerked back up, fully alert.

"Wha –?" Richard looked at the person who dared interrupt his would be nap, and saw the blonde hair of Black Canary. A flash of annoyance bubbled up. "What do you want, ma'am? All my reports have been submitted already." He grabbed his already cold coffee and took a big gulp.

"You're new partner's here." Richard choked. After a few seconds of hacking his lung out, and clearing his wind pipe of cold coffee, he narrowed his eyes at his superior.

"She's coming here?" Richard croaked, still recovering from his coffee. Black Canary smiled and scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "You didn't tell me!"

"Did I forget to mention that?" She asked innocently.

(Break)

Special Agent Zatanna Zatara confidently strolled down the hallway, following the secretary that led her to her new division. She couldn't help but feel a slight shiver of nervousness. Her new partner was _the_ Richard Grayson. Any half-decent officer in law enforcement knew of the legend. Now, not only was she going to meet him, but she was also going to be his partner.

The secretary stopped at the end of the hallway, and beckoned her through the automatic sliding doors. As she walked through, she took in the rows of computers all scattered in a circle around a three dimensional holographic console. Several people brushed past her in a hurry. Zatanna could hear the urgent chatter and commands that added to the general bustling atmosphere.

Zatanna stood awkwardly to the side, trying not to get in any other agents way, black listing herself in the first five minutes of the job, but also trying to find someone who wasn't occupied by a case to help direct her.

A tall red-head with bright green eyes broke off from the other agents and strolled up to her. His spiked orange hair glinted under the fluorescent lighting. When he walked up to her, he flashed a wide grin.

"Zatanna, right?" he asked, tracing his eyes over her body. Zatanna nodded. The man smiled again. "Captain Wally West. Pleased to meet you." Zatanna raised an eyebrow at the man who had his hand out for a handshake.

"Uh, excuse me, sir, but what is a Captain doing in the FBI Criminal Investigation Branch?" The man froze.

"Uh…"

"He's a captain all right. Meet Captain Man-Whore," A low voice said to her right. Zatanna jumped, startled.

Richard internally smirked at his friend's indignant yelp, and turned to face Zatanna. His new partner wore a white shirt, bow tie and gloves, a low cut yellow vest, a black blazer, gray fatigues, and black combat boots. She at least looked professional. Her long, black, wavy hair hung over her ears, to frame her face. Her bright teal eyes met Richard's dark sapphire ones.

"He's Wally West, our forensics expert." Wally West was one of Richard's few friends. They grew up together as best friends, until he moved to Palo Alto to attend Stanford University. There he majored in chemistry and biochemistry. Eventually, Richard and Wally both applied to the FBI. They were partners together, until he applied for the forensics analysis position.

"You must be Special Agent Zatara," Richard remarked.

"That's me," she said with a confident smile. That was something Richard immediately noticed. She seemed to have aura of confidence, which was a good sign. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

She held out her white gloved hand. Richard grasped her hand, taking note of the firm-er grasp than Wally's.

"Same," Richard replied neutrally.

"I am so not a man-whore!" Wally squawked. Richard met Wally's glare with a raised eyebrow.

"Rhode Island." Wally faltered.

"That doesn't count," he whined.

"Uh-huh. Tell _them_ that. They didn't seem to think so."

"Do I want to know what you guys are talking about?" Zatanna asked.

"I don't know, do you?" Richard asked. Zatanna pondered that for a second.

"Later. I need to find my new partner. Do you know where Richard Grayson is?

"That would be me."

Richard nodded. Ignoring how Wally's eyes bugged out of his head.

"You're… new…partner? What the Hell!" Wally sputtered.

"Long story."

"I've got time."

"_Richard Grayson, report to Assistant Director's office immediately,"_ a loud speaker announced.

"We don't." Richard jerked his head towards a set of glass doors that overlooked the entire area. "Let's go, Miss Zatara."

Richard entered Black Canary's office. It seemed that her pile of papers had doubled since their last meeting… eight hours ago.

"Grayson," Black Canary said, without looking up from her computer. "I take it you have acquainted yourself with Miss Zatara?"

"Affirmative, ma'am."

"Good. I have a case for you two." She handed him the case file.

"Queen Industries?" he asked. Black Canary nodded.

"The electronics manufacturing company owned by Oliver Queen in Star City?" Zatanna asked. Richard handed her an additional case file. Black Canary nodded.

"Yes. Queen Industries has been rising steadily in value, especially after the 2004 Global Recession. However, recently, a concerned employee noticed several discrepancies in the allocation of company resources and income." Black Canary activated a holographic screen. On it was a picture of a blond haired man with a goatee.

"When some of our data analysis guys swept through Queen's history, he turned out clean. However, his adopted heir, Roy Harper isn't." Another picture appeared, this time of a muscular man with a short, spike orange hair, and a deep scowl.

"Roy Harper. He competes in the National Archery Competition, and has claimed to have been spending over $30,000 at a time on what he claimed was archery lessons. The money went to a business known as Halt's Archery."

"Let me guess, Halt's Archery doesn't exist," Zatanna guessed. Black Canary nodded, impressed with how fast the girl picked up on things. She definitely picked well for Richard's partner.

"So, an embezzlement scheme? What statute are you looking to nail him with?" Richard asked.

"Fraudulent. Technically, Queen hasn't given any shares of the company to Harper. Harper's intentionally converting his legal guardian's assets for his own use."

"You want us to find out what he's using the money for, ma'am," Zatanna stated.

"Yes. A typical investigation. Get in, find the information, get out." Richard raised an eyebrow.

"Typical? If I recall, the last time you sent me on a "typical" investigation, the guy tried to shoot me."

"That was your fault though." Black Canary pointed out.

"What'd he do, ma'am?" Zatanna asked.

"He may or may not have been caught with said man's girlfriend in an elevator," Black Canary stated, shaking her head.

"First off, we thought that the guy was still entertaining his guests at his party. Secondly, she came onto _me_," Richard replied with a hint of indignation.

"That's not what she said."

"You're gonna take that girl's word over mine?" Richard asked. He paused. "On second thought, don't answer it."

"Wise decision, Grayson. The finals for the National Archery Competition are taking place in Tayari Plaza. They start in two hours. That should give you plenty of time to get there and investigate Harper. Dismissed."

(End)


	2. Suspects

Disclaimer: _Young Justice_ belongs to Greg Weisman and Brandon Vietti. I am simply taking what they give and twisting it for my own amusement.

Chapter 2: Suspects

"We're going to Tayari Plaza, right?" Richard glanced at his partner.

"Uh-huh."

"Nice. I heard that place is massive."

"It is. You'll see when we get there." The elevator doors slid open and Richard stepped into the garage. He walked up to his new black Ford Expedition SUV and slid into the front driver's seat. Zatanna slid into the front passenger seat.

"So," Zatanna began, "Do you want to know anything about me?"

"No. Not really." Richard replied. He frowned. That came out a little harsh.

"Oh."

"I read what I need to know on your file," he quickly added. Zatanna nodded.

"I meant, like, since we're partners and all, we should start to familiarize ourselves with each other…" Richard shrugged.

"Fair enough. You've handled a firearm before." Zatanna hummed her agreement, even though it wasn't a question. "Ever been in a fight?"

"Like a fist-fight?"

"Sure."

"Not in a fair one..."

"What about a firefight?"

"Two. One during the Mafia bust in New York a few months ago, and another during a drug bust in the Lower-East Side. What about you?" Richard glanced at a sign they passed.

"We're almost there. Bring me up the target's info?" Zatanna reached into her bag and pulled out a portable touch pad. She keyed in the security code before bringing up the bio.

"Roy Harper. Age 18. 5'11''. 145 pounds. He has short red hair and brown eyes he-"

"Good enough. Augh! Dammit," Richard groaned.

"What?" Zatanna asked.

"I forgot my badge." Zatanna stifled a giggle.

"So, you forgot the one thing that will identify you as a government agent?"

"I have my gun."

Zatanna looked up as Richard parked his car along the curb.

"How are you going to get in? I mean, I have mine, but you don't have yours…"

"I have my ways," Richard stated confidently as he climbed out of the car. A light drizzling of rain pattered off his suit. Zatanna climbed out as well and looked at the building they had parked in front of. The plaza was massive. Instead of walls, there were large sheets of glass that revealed several escalators and many people.

"Watch this." Richard sauntered up to a beefy looking security guard that stood in an intimidating posture in front of the convention doors. He had a shaved head and beady eyes. A brown beard covered the lower part of his face. The man shifted his entire body and faced Richard. His bulky body easily dwarfed Richard's.

"Can I help you?" the man asked, his voice deep and throaty. Richard gave the man a friendly smile, not in the least intimidated by him.

"Yeah," Richard said as he pulled out his wallet and flipped it open. "We work for the FBI and we need to gain access to the building."

"Yes sir," the security guard said obediently. The doors opened and Richard stepped into the brightly lit hallways. "Is there something wrong, sir?" The security guard added.

"Just doing an investigation," Richard replied amicably. He motioned for Zatanna to join him. Both agents continued walking down the hallway towards the main atrium.

"What did you show him?" Zatanna asked once they were out of earshot.

"My driver's license," Richard answered. "It's all in the attitude."

"I'll remember that," Zatanna said, shaking her head.

"Make sure you do. It makes all the difference," Richard said sagely.

"Speaking from experience?" Richard nodded.

"Let's just say that I can make a very convincing woman."

(Break)

Richard and Zatanna slipped surreptitiously into the stands and looked out of the glass viewing area, onto the large gymnasium. Out on the main floor were two people. A boy and a girl were standing there, facing each other. One was a buff red head with spiky hair. He wore a black and red sleeveless vest and black fatigues. A red bow was clutched in his hands. His opponent was a blonde girl with very tan skin. She wore a dark green jumpsuit that exposed her stomach.

"And now, for the moment you have all been waiting for. I would like to welcome you to the Fiftieth National Archery Competition Finals, hosted here in Gotham City!" Cheers and yells made by the crowd echoed throughout the arena.

"You've all seen these amazingly young talented archers compete in the semi's, and consolation matches. Now, this competition will be decided once and for all between these two archers right here!"

The man walked in between the two competitors.

"On my left," the man announced, gesturing to the guy, "This archer has won over one hundred individual competitions, is a two time state qualifier for Star City, and is this year's Star City State Champion, Senior Roy Harper!"

"On my left, this talented young woman has completed her Super Thirty-Two's, taking first in Thirty-two different tournaments around the world. A three time Gotham State Champion, and only a Junior, Artemis Crock!"

Both archers lined up and faced the other side, where two identical courses were set up. Each course had different sized targets and distances.

"For the first time ever, we will have three different rounds to decide who will be the champion! In this first round, both archers will compete to see who can accurately hit each target in the fastest amount of time! Round one… begin!"

It was clear to Richard who was the better archer as soon as the whistle blew. This Artemis girl – true to her name – was a master at the bow. Each draw was graceful, and each release smooth. She seemed completely at ease. Draw. Release. Draw. Release.

Their guy, Roy Harper, was another story. Richard noticed how he fumbled briefly with drawing an arrow. He was tense. His body wasn't relaxed; making his movements looked choppy and stiff.

"Guess the pressures too much for our guy, eh?" Zatanna whispered, expressing his thoughts. Richard nodded absentmindedly. "Makes you wonder how he got this far."

The whistle blew. Both turned back to the arena.

"And, folks, let's take a look at the results… Roy Harper took fifty eight seconds to hit fourteen targets. He missed one completely. Artemis Crock took forty four seconds to hit all fifteen targets. Well, it looks like we know who the winner of round one is… Artemis Crock. The second round will start in just five minutes."

Both contestants left the floor and Zatanna sidled up to him.

"Guess we definitely know he wasn't paying for archery lessons," Zatanna stated.

"Uh-huh. But then what was he spending his guardian's money on?"

"Not a clue," Zatanna replied cheerfully.

"You always this peppy?"

"You always this unfriendly?" Zatanna countered.

"I prefer the term professional."

"Uh-huh."

Both archers returned, drawing back the attention of the rest of the crowd.

"And, we're back, ladies and gentlemen. For this round, both archers will have to accurately shoot several moving targets at different distances. As usual, accuracy and time will be the deciding factors. Ready…set…go!"

Richard frowned. He watched as Roy smoothly drew the bow back. He was completely confident this time. His tense and choppy style was replaced with one more akin to Artemis'. She seemed surprised as Richard was. Roy's speed and accuracy was on par, if not better than Artemis'. It seemed like even before the arrow had hit the target, Roy had knocked another one.

'How did he get this good?' Richard thought. 'Was he faking it the first round to judge Artemis' skills?'

Thwack. Bull's eye. Thwack. Bull's eye.

The whistle blew.

"Alright, the second round has completed. Let's check the results!" The man announced. "Okay, out of ten moving targets, Roy Harper hit all ten, with an amazing fifteen seconds! This might just be a new record, ladies and gents! For Artemis Crock, there are ten hit targets with a time of nineteen seconds. Roy Harper takes the round. Looks like this championship will be determined by the last round! We'll get into it right away!"

Richard glanced at Roy. He was out of breath. From the way that he was panting for breath, he would think that Roy was hyperventilating.

"For the final round, clay pigeons will be shot into the air. It will be the archer's job to hit the flying discus. Archer's ready?" Both archers knocked an arrow and drew their bows back. "Go!"

Bright orange clay pigeons were launched into the air, arcing lazily to either side. In this aspect, Artemis and Roy were basically evenly matched. Each took a second to aim and adjust accordingly before they launched their arrow. Pigeons shattered as the sharp tips of the arrows cracked the brittle clay.

"It looks like we are down to the last pigeon each. This could decide it all, ladies and gentleman."

_Clack_. Both neon orange pigeons launched in the air, spinning and arcing. In unison, both archers raised their bows, drawing back. The whole audience was silent, watching with bated breath as both archers tracked their targets.

_Twang. Twang._ Artemis and Roy both released at the same time. Roy's arrow cut through the air… a direct hit! The clay pigeon exploded in tiny bits of orange debris. Artemis' arrow sped towards the pigeon… but the pigeon's spin made the small target move arc a little to the left. Artemis' arrow skimmed the clay pigeon. A collection of groans and cheers filled the air.

"And there you have it, folks. Your 2012, National Archery Champion, Roy Harper!"

Zatanna groaned. Secretly, she had been rooting for Artemis. When she turned to where Richard was sitting, she discovered that he wasn't there. Zatanna stood up, looking around for her partner.  
There.

From amongst the crowd, Zatanna could make out a mop of ebony hair attached to a suit. He was making his way down to where Roy Harper and Artemis were standing. She quickly got up, and ran down the steps, pushing her way through people.

"Excuse me! Move please. Heads up!" Zatanna pushed her way past several irate people, finally catching up to Richard.

"You left me!" Zatanna exclaimed. Richard gave her a confused look.

"You left? I thought you were right next to me," Richard replied innocently. He looked to his right, passed her. "There he is. Wait here."

Richard walked over to where Roy Harper was standing, surrounded by a lot of reporters and people. Cameras flashed, and the press yelled questions at the boy. Roy was still breathing heavily, his chest rising up and down. Sweat was pouring down the sides of his face. Richard waited patiently in the midst of the crowd, until finally, he was at the front.

"Mr. Harper, congratulations on your victory!" Richard exclaimed. Zatanna sighed. Though most people wouldn't be able to pick it up, his voice was laced with sarcasm. Roy smiled. He scratched at some pimples on his forearm.

"Thank you, very much." Roy held out his right hand. His muscular forearm had tiny red angry marks all over them. Richard grasped it, and smiled, before withdrawing. Zatanna followed.

"Did you see it?" Richard asked, his smile gone, replaced with his standard blank expression.

"Of course," Zatanna scoffed. "You'd have to be blind to miss those injection sites. Now we know how that sleaze ball did so well." Zatanna noticed the look Richard gave her. "What?"

"False," Richard stated after he shook his head.

"Huh?"

"I've worked in the DEA for several years, and in my entire career there, I have never encountered a drug that enhances dexterity or reflexes. Heroin and cocaine just make the user dopey. The only type of drug that he could have used would be methamphetamine."

"Methalpentanine?"

"Crystal meth."

"Oh. Couldn't you have just said that from the get go?"

"What fun would that be?"

"Is that a joke I hear, Mr. Grayson?"

"No." Richard replied.

"Could it have killed you to just say yes?"

"No," Richard replied truthfully. "Anyway, methamphetamine just increases the alertness, but also induces euphoria, so I don't think it could be that. It's gotta be some new drug that's being distributed on the street." Richard groaned.

"That sucks."

"Yeah, for you as well. You have to file out all the reports and paperwork too," Richard pointed out. Zatanna frowned. "If you thought normal reports were bad, wait until you see the new reports that Black Canary will assign you. You're going to love it."

"You don't have to say it so cheerfully," Zatanna muttered sarcastically.

Richard was about to respond when his phone rang.

"Grayson."

_Hey! Bud! It's me…_

"What do you want, Wally?" Richard asked in a bored tone.

_Ouch. Even for you that's kinda cold. _

"I'm hanging up now…"

_Hey! C'mon dude! I didn't do anything to annoy you yet! Canary wanted me to call you._

"I'm listening."

_We got some of our guys to trace the money trail that Harper stole. And guess what?_

"He's been spending it on some narcotic?" There was silence on the phone for a second.

_Yeah. From the account, it's definitely an alias for a major drug lord, but we just have to figure out which one it is. How'd you know? _

"Harper needs to work on hiding where he shoots himself up."

_Nice. Anyway, I'm sending you a search warrant. You're good for searching Harper._

"Roger. Send it to Agent Zatara's data pad."

_You forgot yours?_

"It's charging in my office."

_Sure it is. Along with your badge? Anyway, just sent the warrant. Good luck._

"Roger. Thanks Wally."

Back at the FBI building, Wally stared at his head piece in confusion. He looked at one of his associates.

"Did – did he just… thank me?" Wally asked suspiciously. His associate nodded.

"Are you sure that that was Grayson?"

"Yeah."

"Weird."

"You're telling me."

(Break)

"There it is." Zatanna stared at the enormous and lavish penthouse apartment. _Damn…_ Richard squeezed his Ford Expedition in between a Maserati and an Aston Martin, with inches to spare. Zatanna winced. It would be such a shame if those two cars got scratched or dented.

"So what are we going to be doing?" Richard looked at her as he crossed the street.

"We're going to go have a look around Harper's room."

"Isn't he going to be coming home soon?"

"Don't know. He might already be at his room. You'll do a sweep of the surrounding hallways and rooms. Then, you'll meet up in Harper's room."

"Okay." The elevator doors slid open and Richard and Zatanna stepped inside. After a second, Zatanna asked, "Isn't what we're doing illegal?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we kinda are trespassing if he isn't there."

"No, we're just looking around without the owner's consent."

"So it's trespassing." A short pause.

"Yeah." The elevator was once again plunged in silenced.

"We do have the search warrant." Richard finally said.

"Isn't the point of the warrant to notify or inform the owner that we are going to search their apartment?"

"Not necessarily. You're thinking of standard search warrants. This is now related to narcotics. Narcotics search warrants allow for forcible entry without notice."

"Oh." The elevator doors opened.

"Stay here."

"In the elevator?"

"No," Richard sighed. "In the…"

"Jeez, I know. I was just joking. Chill."

"I'll chill when you make a good joke."

"Touché."

(Break)

_Knock. Knock. Knock. _The door swung open, revealing a rather irate, muscular red head in nothing but a robe.

"What do you wan-oh."

"Good evening, Mr. Harper, I'm Richard Grayson of the FBI."

"What do you want?" Roy asked rudely. Richard flashed a smile.

"Well, sir, we have reason to believe, that a dangerous threat is present in this very room. If you would be so kind, would you let me and my partner in?" Roy glanced back into his room.

"Er… yeah, no…" Richard's smile remained, but his eyes flashed dangerously.

"Mr. Harper, my partner and I have been issued a search warrant, and thus, we are obligated to search this premise," Richard said lowly. "To tell you the truth, we didn't even need to knock. We could have just kicked your door down. Now please, don't make things too hard on yourself." Roy shrugged.

"Suit yourself. You can have a look. If it's for my own safety and all."

"It is. Smart man." Roy opened the door and beckoned them in. Richard turned to Zatanna.

"We'll start in the bedroom." Zatanna nodded. Her boots clicked over the marble-tiled floor. Roy followed behind them.

"Bedroom's that way," he directed, pointing at a slightly ajar room. Zatanna walked past Richard and pushed the door open.

"Ready for some more?" a seductive voice purred. Zatanna froze. A blush began to creep up on her face. Richard's face remained neutral.

"Well, I guess we know why he was pissed at us for interrupting them," Richard commented mildly. There, lying on his bed, completely naked, was a young Asian woman with black hair. She had dark tan skin, piercing dark eyes, and a rather… developed body. The girl finally realized it wasn't Roy and shrieked, trying to cover herself with the bed sheets.

"Roy! What the hell! Who are these people?"

"Relax Jade," Roy drawled. "They're from the FBI. Investigating a threat or something being in this room."

"You ever hear of knocking?" the girl, Jade, snarled at them.

"I'm terribly sorry, ma'am. We were unaware of your… presence here," Richard said contritely. The woman's anger seemed to lessen.

"Oh, well…ugh. Roy! I need to borrow some clothes!"

"There's an extra robe outside," Roy said. He looked at Zatanna and Richard. "I'll be right back."

After Roy left with Jade, Richard began to walk around the room. The room's floors were made of marble tiles, and easily the size of the FBI Command and Control Center in Gotham. Zatanna went to the other side, inspecting any potential hiding spots. She knew what to look for. She had taken a drug identification course that was imbedded in the Police Detective and FBI Training Programs.

Richard walked near Roy's bed, when the floor creaked. He motioned for Zatanna to join him.

"Since when has marble tiles ever creaked?" Richard asked.

"Nev..." Zatanna began to say.

"It was rhetorical." Richard said, cutting her off. He knelt down, and jiggled the tile a bit. The tile loosened in its spot, revealing a convenient little nook to slip one's fingers into it. He looked at Zatanna. She nodded. She was ready. Richard pried off the tile.

"Damn…" There, in a large box, was an assortment of hypodermic needles, and three small vials of unmarked liquid. Additionally, there were half-a-dozen neatly stacked bricks of cocaine. These were definitely the drugs that Black Canary was after.

"What the hell are you doing?" Roy roared. He stood in the doorway. He rushed at Richard. Zatanna was about to intercept him, when Richard pushed her out of the way with one hand.

With an angry yell, Roy charged him, raising his right fist right above his head. When Roy got within a foot's distance, he swung with a right hook, with the intent of punching Richard out in the first hit.

Richard expertly used his left forearm and raised it up to Roy's right wrist. With the momentum of the swing effectively stopped, and Roy in a state of shock, Richard launched his counter attack.

Using his right elbow, he swung it right into the man's ribs. The force of the hit made Roy grunt in pain.

Still holding onto the right wrist, Richard stepped behind Roy, twisting his arm so that Roy's arm was pressed against his own back, palms facing out. Richard kicked the back of Roy's knees, buckling them and brutally slamming Roy down onto the marble floor. His knee on the middle of Roy's back pinning him to the ground. With Roy stunned, Richard snatched Roy's free arm, whipping out a pair of plasti-cuffs, and locked it, restraining the enraged young man.

"Hey asshole, wanna explain the drugs you got hidden in your room?"Richard asked.

"Screw. You," Roy grit out; his face was pressed against the marble. Richard hauled Roy up, and slammed him against the wall, so they were face to face.

"You were found in the possession of cocaine. That in itself is a serious crime, anywhere from 2-10 years in prison. However, I'm… friendly with the local prosecutor, so I might be able to reduce your sentence. If you tell me what the other type of drug is." Roy glared at Richard, and spat in his face.

Richard drew his fist back to punch him, when Zatanna walked up to Roy. She motioned for Richard to let go. Once Richard's hands were off of Roy, Zatanna firmly grabbed one of his shoulders, and lead him to the other side of the room.

"I'm not gonna say anything, you bitch!" Roy yelled. Zatanna swung Roy around, and pushed him against the wall.

"Let me give you a word of advice," Zatanna said sweetly. She leaned closer, so that her lips were just above Roy's ear. She began whispering to him. Richard watched with interest as Roy's face paled and went from defiant, to worried, to downright terrified.

"I bought these drugs from a guy named Cobblepot. He came to me and said that they would help my archery. He came to me, but he usually stays in the IceBerg Lounge, in between 3rd and Hamington!" Roy practically yelled out. "That's all I know. I swear! Don't do that to me please," He added in a smaller voice, directed at Zatanna.

Zatanna smirked, looking rather pleased with herself. Richard went up to her.

"How'd you do that?" Richard asked curiously. Zatanna shrugged, smiling even wider.

"Magic," she stated nonchalantly.

"Ah."

(End)

A/N

If you haven't noticed, Grayson will be known as Richard, in my story. Honestly, who do you know, that was born in the last fifteen years, that has a preferred nickname of "Dick"? Not that I have anything against the name, but I doubt Grayson will get much respect if his first name is Dick.


	3. Resemblances

Chapter 3: Resemblances

_A Few Days Later…_

The IceBerg Lounge was a trendy nightclub near the slums of Gotham City. People from all walks of life came into the club. Booming music vibrated and resounded throughout the surrounding area. The interior was packed with people. A large mass of writhing people were found on the dance floor, moving to the loud, vibrating, fast-paced music. The bass sent vibrations throughout the club. The maximum occupancy limit was ignored, with the club easily housing twice the regulated amount.

On top of it all was a rather round man. The man was short, wearing dress slacks, a fur coat, and a monocle. The top of his head was balding. His beady eyes and long nose gave him the appearance of a bird-like creature. On either side of him were two women who were latched onto each of his arms.

Oswald Cobblepot. A brutal and sadistic crime lord, Oswald Cobblepot is known in the Gotham City Underworld as The Penguin and funds much of its criminal operations as one of its biggest black market manufactures. Using his club, The IceBerg Lounge, the Penguin secretly continues to control Gotham City's underworld by bartering in illegal information and stolen goods.

Cobblepot was smug. Very smug. He had worked his ass off, kissing the boots of his employers, who treated him like dirt. Now look at him. A successful crime lord, owner of a popular club. Recently, he made a deal with some people, who guaranteed that once this plan was seen through, he would be rich. He was guaranteed ownership of the Gotham Underworld. His luck was finally up.

What the people inside the IceBerg Lounge failed to notice, was the men clad in black riot gear silently taking positions outside the lounge entrances. A few hundred feet away from the IceBerg Lounge was a black, armored personnel carrier with the white print GCPD SWAT.

Four-man teams stacked up on the eight different entrances that were scattered around the two-story, 12,800 square-foot restaurant and club. Each team leader listened carefully on their radios, waiting for the go sign.

"All teams, this is Command. Operation is a go. Repeat, operation is a go."

Simultaneously, all eight doors were kicked open, and the SWAT members streamed in.

"This is the police!"

"-oh my God!"

"Get down!"

"It's the cops!"

"Freeze!"

"Drop your weapon!"

"On your knees!"

"Do as he says!"

"They have guns!"

"Hands on your head!"

"Whoa! This is a misunderstanding!"

"GCPD!"

Chaos took over the room. SWAT members screamed orders at the now terrified crowd. Their submachine guns were pointed at the people, eyes rapidly searching and assessing the threat-level of each person. A few brave bodyguards attempted to draw their weapons, and received two rounds in the chest, and one in the forehead for their trouble.

The lounge was a cacophony of screams, shouts, and yells. Women shrieked in terror, and men cowered, hands over their heads. The SWAT teams went about efficiently securing each and every person inside the club, lining them up and restraining them with zip-ties.

Oswald Cobblepot stared in dumbfounded surprise from inside his office as black-clad SWAT rounded up his people and customers. Only when his office door was kicked down did he snap out of his stupor. Only when he felt the butt of a rifle stock smack into the side of his face, sending him spinning wildly to the ground, did he know that his dream wouldn't come true. Only when he felt hand-cuffs snap around his wrists did he realize that he was out of luck.

The SWAT Team Leader dragged Cobblepot past all the people and vigilant officers keeping watch to the outside of the Lounge. Several police cars, their sirens wailing in the night, surrounded the Lounge.

"Ma'am, we have Cobblepot," The team leader reported. His radio crackled.

"Good. Bring him to FBI Headquarters."

_The Following Morning…_

Richard Grayson was sitting in a relatively quiet corner of the FBI cafeteria, currently absorbed in his laptop. He typed furiously, occasionally taking a sip of his coffee. He cursed the person who invented the sick idea known as reports. His fingers danced over his keyboard. Yesterday, he talked to her again. It had been a long time since he last visited her.

After a few more minutes of typing, he snapped his laptop shut, sighing in satisfaction at finishing his report.

"Bro!" Wally West greeted as he sat down across from Richard.

"Morning," Zatanna yawned, taking a seat next to his.

"Agent Zatara, Wally," Richard greeted in return.

"I got the bagels!" Wally proudly announced, holding up a large brown bag.

"Coffee," Richard returned, holding up a disposable four-way cup holder. Three large Styrofoam cups of coffee were nestled in the container. "Wally, cream and 37 sugars."

"Awwww, you're the best!" Wally cooed, taking the large cup of coffee from Richard.

"Zatanna, a _chiaro_ cappuccino sprinkled with cocoa powder."

"How did you know what I liked?" Zatanna asked, confused. Richard snorted.

"Please. It's my job to know."

"Hey! Don't forget my bagels that I so lovingly bought!" Wally interjected. He opened the bag for Zatanna. She grabbed one for herself and for Richard.

"Thanks, Wally," Zatanna said, offering him a smile. Richard grunted his appreciation. She looked at the remaining dozen. "Who're you going to give the rest of the bagels to?"

"The rather repulsive creature known as his stomach," Richard stated. He looked disgustedly at his friend's stomach and prodded it suspiciously. "I swear there's a tapeworm in there."

"Dude! Don't insult Linda! All my work makes me lose so many calories. I mean, c'mon. Have you seen the amount of stress and movement I do all day?" Wally joked. Zatanna paused and digested what Wally just said.

"Wait. You _named _your stomach?" Wally looked at her.

"Well. Yeah. I mean… she's like my bestest friend ever..."

"Sad, right?" Richard asked. Zatanna giggled. "So, how'd it go with Cobblepot?" Wally snapped his finger.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." Richard gave Wally a look that said _Really?_

"Well, how'd it go?" Zatanna asked eagerly.

"GCP SWAT raided the IceBerg Lounge yesterday at 21h00 last night. We took him in… and he sang like a bird."

"How'd you get that to happen?" Richard asked interestedly. Wally shrugged.

"Black Canary entered the interrogation room." Richard shivered.

"Ouch."

"Mmmhmmm," Wally hummed in agreement. "She is one scary chick. Even without her insanely intimidating voice."

"Yeah. The female race is a terrifyingly evil one. You know how we got Harper to talk? This girl," Richard said, nodding his head towards Zatanna, "Whispered some evil voodoo words to him. A second after, he starts spouting all sorts of information. Then, she claims it's magic."

"Damn."

"Don't look so smug about it," Richard said, noticing Zatanna's _very_ satisfied expression."

"Hey, it worked didn't it?"

"Yeah, but it was freaky."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Wally added. "Like, back to Black Canary. When she's angry, she gets this throbbing _vein_ on her forehead. The angrier she is, the more it throbs. It's scary." Zatanna's eyes flicked to something behind Wally, and she coughed, while Richard shoved the rest of his bagel into his mouth. "I mean, really, _really_, scary."

"Glad to know that you think of me like that," a voice said dryly behind him. Wally froze and slowly turned around. Said woman stood behind him, hands on her hips, with a clearly amused expression on her face.

"Uh… hi Assistant Director! Didn't see you there."

"Don't let that stop you. Keep digging. At this rate, you might actually make next rank after five years," Black Canary smirked. She smiled at Wally's face, before walking off.

"Wow, she's in a really good mood," Richard noted. Wally nodded.

"Good thing too. I'd have been screwed if she was in one of her pissy moods."

"No kidding."

"So, back to what Cobblepot revealed…"

"Wha-? Oh yeah. Anyway, so Cobblepot said that the new drug they received was a performance enhancer. When injected into the blood stream, the drug speeds up human reaction time and slows the user's perception of the world by increasing the amount of adrenaline released by the adrenal gland."

"Basically a bunch of artificial stimulants for the adrenal glands."

"Not necessarily," Wally replied. "When I reviewed the liquidized drug, it contained some unknown organic material. I have to look into it more, but right now, I'm ninety percent certain it's that compound that really does the work. It's 100% au natural."

"Explains how Harper was able to pull that win out of his ass," Zatanna remarked.

"What else do we know about this drug?" Richard asked.

"Well, its street name is "The Flash", and Cobblepot says that its maker is a former chemist, Barry Allen. Some of our best guys are currently searching for his whereabouts."

"So why am I not working on it then?" Richard asked.

"Because you aren't the best?"

"That's not what you said when I brought you your coffee."

"Things change. You need to prove you're the best."

"Says the forensics analyst who can identify the unknown compound in a new drug. Oh right…" Richard commented, while he bent down to put away his laptop. Wally made an obscene gesture with a certain finger, pointing it at Richard.

"I know what you're doing West. I might just have to make sure your finger can't do that again. Ever." Richard's muffled voice came threateningly from under the table. Wally blanched, before glaring at his middle finger.

"Bad finger! How rude! Why would you do such a thing," Wally scolded. He turned back to Richard. "Sorry, this finger can't control himself sometimes."

"Uh-huh. Just like a certain fatty among women or food."

"I have a fast metabolism! I _appreciate_ the opposite gender, unlike you. I swear, you're gay!" Zatanna watched amusedly as the two men bantered.

"Awww, you're like a married couple," she cooed. Wally laughed. Richard's eyes widened slightly. The slight smile on his face disappeared, and for the first time, Zatanna saw an unidentifiable emotion flit across his face.

_One Year Ago…._

"_Dude! Superman is way better than Batman!" Wally exclaimed. Richard Grayson laughed._

"_Yeah, at being a worse hero than Batman."_

"_So not true!"_

"_Puh-lease, Batman could wipe the floor with Superman's red and blue clad spandex butt!"_

"_Maybe in Batman's dreams! Superman takes bullets, explosions, and uber smacks from mega-villains for breakfast. Let's see Batman do that," Wally said smugly. Richard smirked._

"_Batman doesn't need to do that, because he dodges bullets, disarms the explosives, and goes kung-fu on the mega-villains before they can do their uber smack."_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Yeah!"_

"_Well let's see Batman dodge Superman's super speed. He would get crushed like a bug!"_

"_I didn't want to do this, but… drastic measures must be taken to crush your feeble arguments right where it stands."_

"_Bring it."_

"_You're asking for it," Richard warned._

"_You're bluffing," Wally said confidently._

"_Kryptonite. Batman would shove that up Superman's butt… and boom. No more Superman."_

"_You assume that Superman doesn't laser beam Batman where he stands."_

"_As far as I'm concerned, you're argument is null and void. What true hero has a rock as a weakness? That's… like you failing the chemistry finals and SAT II. Oh wait…"_

"_Dude! Cheap shot!"_

"_Too soon?"_

"_Are you two seriously arguing about this?" a feminine voice cut in. Richard and Wally looked up from their heated glare contest. A slender woman with straight hair and piercing eyes stared at the two men incredulously, hands on her hips. Her eyes met Richard's twinkling sapphire eyes._

"_There's my partner!" Richard exclaimed. "I am so feeling the aster now! I thought you had escaped this vile captivity and rode off into the sunset without your damsel in distress!"_

"_Richard," The woman said slowly. "This is work. And I'm obligated to show." She paused. "So I guess I would be the knight in shining armor?" Richard nodded._

"_Yup. And I'm the helpless damsel in distress that waits for the knight to whisk him off his feet."_

"_Nice."_

"_Rich!" Wally wailed sadly. "I thought what we had was special…"_

"_It is, though!" Richard replied dramatically. "But I have found someone even special-er than you!"_

"_Ooooh," The woman said, grinning. "I wouldn't want to break up your romance that you two have going. Destroying something as beautiful as this would be a sin."_

"_Bromance," Richard and Wally corrected in unison. _

"_A bromance is way more powerful than just any romance. Hence the bro," Richard stated wisely._

"_Yup. A bromance can never be broken. Every time a bromance is formed, rainbows form and all is good in the world," Wally added._

"_But the world isn't good, which is why _we _have these jobs…" The woman said cynically._

"_Which is exactly why…" Richard said._

"…_true bromances are so rare," Wally finished. She shook her head. _

"_You clowns."_

"_Hey! We clowns have your coffee and doughnuts!"_

Richard blinked and that emotion was gone as Zatanna waved her hand in front of his face. Unreadable blue eyes stared intently at the ground.

"Hey, you okay? You just zoned out on us," Zatanna said concernedly.

"I, uh, yeah. I…um… gotta go. Yeah. Stuff. To do," Richard mumbled, while hurriedly picking up his things and briskly walking out of the room. Zatanna turned to Wally, who had a sad expression on his face.

"Did I say something wrong?" Zatanna asked. Wally shook his head. The normally upbeat redhead's shoulders drooped slightly.

"Yes. Well, no. You couldn't have known. Even I didn't know, until it was too late."

"What happened?" Wally shook his head again. His eyes downcast.

"It's- It's not my place to say." Zatanna sighed. "But, you reminded him of someone important to him."

"Oh."

"He wasn't always like this, though," Wally said.

"You were Detective Grayson's first partner?" Zatanna asked as she shifted in her seat.

"Yeah. We were paired up after we graduated from the Academy," Wally replied.

"You knew each other pretty well, right?" Zatanna pressed.

"As good as we could," Wally returned. "Neither of us were really touchy feely."

"You're guys," Zatanna pointed out dryly. "How'd you guys get so well acquainted?"

"Huh? Why do you ask?" Wally asked, a slight hint of suspicion present in his voice.

"I'm trying to be a good partner," Zatanna stated. "The problem is, he doesn't seem to want to be my partner. Every time I try to strike up a conversation, he barely responds. Like today. He knows my favorite coffee, but I don't know a thing about him." Wally smiled wryly at that.

"That's Richard Grayson for you. He's a mystery. I don't think you'll ever _really_ get to know him. His file has more black ink covering up his history than actual, official information."

"Then how can we work together if we don't talk and trust each other?" Zatanna asked.

"Wait till you two have to really work together," Wally stated. "Once you've fought and worked extensively on a case side by side you'll have his trust."

"Really?" Zatanna asked him apprehensively.

"Uh-huh," Wally replied emphatically. "He may not show it, but he really does like you. Well, better than the previous partners."

"Yay, I'm so relieved," Zatanna said sarcastically.

"Really," Wally said. "This is the first time in a long time that he has bought coffee for another person besides me. It may not seem like a big deal, but for Richard, that basically means he at least approves of you."

"Thanks, Wally," Zatanna said quietly. Wally beamed, back to his normal cheerful self.

"Hey! Nothing to thank me for. I happen to like hearing my own voice. It's my job to watch out for my best friend. Speaking of jobs, my shift started a few minutes ago… so, yeah. I'll be seeing you." Wally got up, grabbed his bag of bagels, and started to leave. He paused.

"Oh, and Zatanna?"

"Hmm?"

"Just keep at it. You know what they say about perseverance." Zatanna smiled.

"I'll try. Thanks Wally."

(Break)

Zatanna lowered her emptied Glock 19 service pistol. She stared the target. The head had fifteen 9x19mm bullet holes each less than two inches apart. "Very impressive, Agent Zatara."

"Thanks," Zatanna replied, smiling. She turned to see the range officer, arms crossed, admiring her marksmanship.

"Nice grouping," he complimented. He looked at her weapon. "Is that a Glock 17?"

"19," Zatanna corrected.

"Ah. I always get the two mixed up," the man said apologetically.

"No, it's fine. The 19 has a smaller length, barrel length, and height, but it's really hard to tell if you don't have two to compare with."

"Damn!" Another person said as she walked into the firing range. She was an African-American with short spiky black hair. "Was that your's?"

"Yep," Zatanna said.

"That's a helluva grouping. The only person that has a better grouping is Grayson, I think. Right?" The woman asked her partner. Her partner was a large, beefy African American with cropped black hair. He nodded.

"Uh-huh. Grayson's bullet grouping almost looks like he fired one shot. That's how good of a shot he is," the man rumbled.

"Oh, we should introduce ourselves! I'm Raquel, and this is my partner. You can call him Icon. He doesn't really like his first name," the woman explained.

"She seems to fit right in with everyone here," Wally commented, walking up to Richard, who was leaning against the walls in the shadows of the firing range, observing Zatanna.

"Yeah." Wally watched as Zatanna laughed with Icon and Raquel. She flipped her hair behind her shoulders.

"Kind of reminds me of someone, don't you think?" Wally asked carefully. Richard turned away from Wally.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Richard turned and began walking away.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Wally called out.

"I have some things to do. I really should finish them. Good talk." Richard began to walk out of the room. Wally deflated and leaned against the wall, observing Zatanna. He sighed.

"You're not alone. We all miss her. We _do_ wanna help. I just wish you would realize that," he whispered. Richard paused at the doorway. He continued out of the room without a sound.

(End)


End file.
